Off the Page

Page Fright by Wade Bradford ill Mary Ann Fraser

"Sorry. Everything went crazy. I didn't know what to do."

​Bradford offers a refreshingly different riff on the time-honored classic tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and in the process breaks the fourth wall in a unique fashion. Characters move off script and step outside the book’s pages.
At the outset, a charming but slightly self-absorbed young Goldilocks welcomes readers into the volume containing her story. Unfortunately Papa Bear, who inadvertently becomes the story's main character, becomes flustered and can't deliver his scripted lines.

He is embarrassed and becomes so distraught that he tries to escape the story, climbing out of the page. Baby Bear and Goldilocks go in search of their protagonist, hoping to return him to the book and bring the story to a satisfying conclusion. The chase to find Papa Bear takes the youngsters through several books. Along the way, their search presents homages to literary classics such as The Tortoise and the Hare, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as well as the  fairy tale genre in general. ​

Fraser's soft colors, energetic bears, and creative design elements enhance the story experience.  Her skillful portrayal of Goldilocks’ personality with body language and facial expressions move this girl from being a side note into an important character. Nicely played!

Papa Bear's Page Fright gently explores how to recover from forgetting one's lines and making a mistake in front of an audience. A humorous and heart-warming take on the all-too-common fear of public performance. 

Bears Times Three

Try these innovative adaptations of this classic tale.

Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs
by Mo Willems

Somebody and the Three Blairs
by Marilyn Tolhurst ill Simone Abel

Goldilocks and the Three Bears
by James Marshall

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 30, 2018  Publisher: ​Peter Pauper Press, Inc  ISBN: 978-1441325983